Hipster Suits

It can be a tricky balance when dressing to feel comfortable in your own skin and convey your personal style, while still sticking with acceptable dress codes for work and other semi-formal occasions. Fortunately, there are so many options for suits these days, that you can look snazzy while maintaining a bit of a counter-culture edge.

Hipster Suits: Dress to Impress and Still Express Yourself

Even a hipster who hates to dress up in more business-like apparel can find something that works for them with all of the options and pieces you can put together now. In many places, dress codes are lightening up a little, too, offering the individual some room to express themselves while still looking professional.

Separate Pieces

Traditionally, you might think you must purchase a suit as a matching set of garments from a shop such as a men’s clothing store. You can still go this route and find some pieces like a tie with a bold print or neutral slacks with a colorful jacket.

However, you can also put together suit separates that coordinate well and make a professional-looking ensemble yourself. The crucial component of shopping this way is to make sure you aren’t mixing a variety of patterns in one suit.

Add Some Funk, but Keep It Subtle

For example, if you decide on a tie or bow-tie with a print, and have a brightly-colored suit coat, stick with matching slacks or a neutral hue for pants, such as gray, deep charcoal, or khaki color. Mixing a variety of patterns or too many colors will look unprofessional and become distracting.

A vital part of fashion, even business or semi-formal styles, is to accent your style and personality. You don’t want to divert attention away from your sense of humor, your engaging conversation, or what you’re trying to present by causing too much chaos in an outfit. When you’re going for patterns for unique colors, less is more in most cases.

Neck-Tie or Bow-Tie, That Is The Question

One of the easiest ways to take an existing suit and give it a bit of hipster flair is to pick the right tie or bow-tie. If you’re taking a jacket and slacks that you already own and want to express a bit of your personality you can throw together a matching but bold ties such as a plaid lumberjack number or a floral print with some of our favorite hipster flowers, anemone, and succulents.

Men's Hipster Necktie

men's hipster necktie

This necktie is made from 100% cotton. The tie will complement everything from your cardigan to the dinner jacket.

We also love a Bigfoot tie for a subtle touch of humor. If you have to wear neck-ties regularly, we like a set that mixes a variety of styles, including vintage floral, plaid, and geek math equations. Speaking of “geek,” don’t forget a glasses print neck-tie.

For the holidays, an “ugly sweater” print is our favorite. For any other day of the year, you know you can’t go wrong in the hipster world when you “put a bird on it.” Thank you, Portlandia!

Winter Men Party Skinny Tie

winter men party skinny tie

These ties will fit most adults and can be worn on men as tall as 6'10" when using a single or four-in-hand knot with the tail end of the tie shorter.

Standard and skinny neck-ties are all well and good, but it’s hard to beat a bow-tie. Bow-ties are quintessential hipster and are more 1800s-chic than most traditional ties. Learning to tie a bow-tie is an excellent skill to have, but even if you can’t seem to master it, pre-tied options abound in tons of prints. Do a quick search for “pre-tied bow-ties,” and you’ll find lots of options with adjustable neck sizes to give you that formal hipster vibe you’re going for, without the hassle of knotting a bow.

Checker prints, a retro plaid style, mandala patterns, and vintage floral prints are excellent options for the bow-tie loving hipster. One of our personal favorites?

wooden bow-tie with matching cufflinks and a wooden lapel pin, or a cork/ply-wood print bow-tie. Wooden bow-ties come in a variety of styles and patterns of their own now, and we’re a fan.

Classic Men's Wood Bow Tie

classic men's wood bow tie

Made from natural wood from ethically sourced wood, beautifully. They are also recyclable, biodegradable, energy efficient, non-toxic and hypoallergenic. With our minimal treatment, each pair showcases their unique natural wood grain patterns.

Suspenders

What goes better with a bow-tie for a put-together hipster look than suspenders? Suspenders not only get you out of wearing a belt, but they capture the handlebar mustache, pioneer-aesthetic like few other items.

We like a matching set of suspenders with a tie or bow-tie included, so you always have a matching set. If you have a neutral-colored suit like gray or charcoal, this is a perfect time to pair it with a bright bow-tie and matching suspenders. If you prefer to go without any tie, a plaid set of suspenders on their own will do the trick.

Men's Suspenders With Bow Tie

men's suspenders with bow tie

Matched each other very well. It holds your pants up perfectly. They are very affordable options to accessorize yours and your child outfits.

Vests

If you don’t want to deal with suspenders and want to elevate your hipster suit look, vests are an excellent choice. Vests are so classic and upscale-vintage that you can still pull off a dustbowl-chic aesthetic with the right vest. A plaid or tweed vest or a bright floral pattern are our favorites.

Men's V-Neck Suit Vest

men's v-neck suit vest

Single breasted vest design, V neck, 6 buttons and 2 real side pockets,1 chest pocket ( need to remove the thread to use). Back adjustable belt offers more accurate fit.

Cummerbunds

If you find vests too contemporary, or conversely, far too formal-vintage, your other option is the super retro cummerbund. Cummerbunds are a bit more ironic choice at this point, like something out of the 1980s, so many hipsters would rather wear one of these broad waist sashes instead of a vest.

With cummerbunds, you can go with a classic black for more formal occasions, or to pair with a brightly colored suit. For example, if you’re wearing an emerald or garnet-hued suit, a black cummerbund can keep the look from going overboard.

If you are wearing a more simple, neutral suit, you can wear a more ironic, colorful cummerbund to express yourself. Don’t fret about the lumberjack in your life—plaid cummerbund sets are available, too.

Christmas Cummerbund Sets

christmas cummerbund sets

High quality 100% Cotton Christmas-themed cummerbund Sets. Includes bow tie and pocket square. Hand made in the UK & shipped direct from the manufacturer. Matching elasticated children's ties and bow ties are also available.

The Suit Itself

Now, if you don’t already own a suit, it’s crucial to think about what you’ll wear it for and what will be appropriate for that occasion. We’re all about self-expression, but we also believe manners and being courteous of your surroundings is part of being a decent human being.

So, if your workplace calls for business attire, add a pop of fun with a bow-tie or suspenders, or even a deep hue of a colored jacket (such as dark blue or a burgundy shade). However, don’t go so overboard with prints and colors that you come off as unprofessional.

Funerals are another time we suggest sticking a bit with tradition unless otherwise directed by the family or the wishes of the deceased.

If you are going to a more vibrant occasion at which you can get away with more style, such as a New Year’s Eve party or a wedding, we love pairing plain, neutral slacks with a showy jacket, a bright color, or a print. If you want an ironic hipster suit, consider a denim suit coat with some navy slacks.

We also adore a corduroy suit coat with neutral pants for a retro, college professor, geeky-cool look.

Eco-Friendly and Recycled

If you are looking for an eco-friendly suit, consider fair-trade and sustainable fabrics (linen, cotton, hemp, and bamboo are options to look into), or buy a suit second-hand. A lot of websites sell recycled suits with fantastic vintage or hipster vibes, such as Zeus Vintage and Rockit.

Don’t forget about your local Goodwill or Salvation Army. Buying a vintage or second-hand suit can be not only economical but better for the environment.

If a suit runs big on your frame, you can also get it tailored. Having a suit tailored is something we recommend most of the time. If you’re looking for that slim cut in the slacks, or you buy a second-hand jacket one size too big, you can find a reasonably-priced tailor and end up with an ensemble that wears like one designed for your body.

Colors

Don’t think you have to limit yourself to a black or gray suit.

Picking a color can be an excellent foundation for a hipster suit that is unique while still being appropriate. A burgundy ensemble or navy blue plaid suit makes the list of a couple of our favorites.

Men's Slim Fit Stretch Suit

men's slim fit stretch suit

The perfect choice for keeping your look crisp and contemporary at the office and after hours. This suit has a 7" drop which is the difference between the size of jacket & pants.

The general rule is to avoid mixing black with brown or navy with black. You should also be aware of complementary colors if you want to pair a bow-tie with a bright jacket, but you don’t always have to follow the guideline of mixing opposing hues on the color wheel.

A navy suit with an orange bow-tie can look killer, but don’t be afraid to mix, say, blue with a bright green or even a salmon pink shade.

Do What Suits You

In the end, use your best judgment to balance what you feel looks good on you and what is also professional or event-appropriate. Typically, hipsters tend to wear skinnier-cut ensembles, but if you are bigger or feel uncomfortable in a slim-fit suit, find one that works with your body and is comfortable to wear.

colorful suit with a black lapel goes well with a man-bun, but the beauty of hipster culture is that everyone can declare their unique style. Take conventional ideas for suit ensembles and try mixing it with a funky pattern, a retro cummerbund, or a jacket made of sustainable fabric.

Make it your own, even if you have to abide by a bit of convention and dress well, whether it’s for work or a wedding.

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